Liverpool close in on Jose Enrique deal as Newcastle admit defeat

Liverpool boss
Kenny Dalglish is close to securing the signature of Newcastle’s Jose Enrique.

Magpies boss Alan Pardew has admitted the club is struggling to persuade the Spanish left back to sign a contract extension on Tyneside.

Jose Enrique is reportedly on the verge of a switch to Anfield (PA)

The 25-year-old impressed in the Premier League for the newly-promoted side and has attracted attention from a number of top clubs in Europe, with Bayern Munich also monitoring his progress.

Pardew has revealed there has been little contact with the player or his camp since the end of last season, despite Newcastle signalling their intention to offer Enrique a ‘fantastic’ contract to keep him at St James’ Park.

The Newcastle boss told the Evening Chronicle: ‘At the moment, it looks like he doesn’t want to deal with us.

‘We have been asked to make him an offer, but there has been no progress since then. I still hope we can do something but at the moment, we are still waiting for Jose.’

Uncertainty is rife at St James’ Park currently, as Joey Barton has been told he will not be offered a new deal, despite Pardew claiming he was keen to keep the former Manchester City midfielder.

Fellow midfielder Kevin Nolan also recently rejected a contract extension and Newcastle have been forced to turn down what they called a ‘derisory bid’ from West Ham for the former Bolton star.